Said coach Rick Tocchet: "It's one of those things where you say, 'What just happened?' "

Give Tampa Bay (16-16-10) credit for hanging in. The team, on a 5-2-1 streak, twice cut its deficit to one, including by the end of the first. It even ended with a 39-35 shot advantage (13-5 in the third).

But individual breakdowns were too much to overcome, not to mention a 0-for-3 power play and a blown second-period three-on-one with Vinny Lecavalier, Alex Tanguay and Steve Downie that didn't get off a shot with the Sabres up 5-3.

"It just seems we can't get over that mark," Tocchet said, speaking generally, "because at crucial times, somebody just makes a bonehead mistake."

The first period seemed as if was going to be a nightmare. Buffalo was up by three 2:11 in.

1-0: Tyler Myers scored at 23 seconds with a slap shot from the point after Tim Connolly won a faceoff from Zenon Konopka.

3-0: Clarke McArthur, with no one boxing out, put in a rebound 60 seconds later.

"I wouldn't say we weren't ready," Downie said. "We just have to do a better job of blocking shots and helping Smitty down low."

Tocchet called timeout because "I didn't want these guys to start playing out of their system." Smith made a huge stop on Rivet from in close at 6:46, and Tampa Bay got rolling.

Marty St. Louis scored with 7:57 left and then Victor Hedman with 6:35 remaining on a wrist shot from a faceoff circle that beat goalie Ryan Miller high on the stick side. It was a dramatic play by Hedman, who carried the puck from the defensive zone to start and finish a two-on-one.

Buffalo, the Northeast leader and winner of five straight, started fast in the second. Drew Stafford's power-play goal 1:19 in made it 4-2. Lecavalier answered off a scramble. Buffalo regained a two-goal edge on Jason Pominville's goal off his skate.